Knitting machine



April 23, 1935;

S. A. WELCH ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 22, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 NTORS SIDNEY ARTHUR WELQH- ALBEKTFMRHOLME GUYL en 40W worms AS BY \MLLM HENRY ROA'LEK XW V - ATTORN EYS April 23, 1935.

E2 FIGA. alum-4; 21

S. A. WELCH ET-AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 22, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 27 l V f 57 59 l \NVENTOM suwaY ARTHUR, WELSH ALBERT FMRMLHE sun. 60W Tums ASHBY WlLuAM HENRY BDALER' ATToRNEYS April 23, 1935. s, A. WELCH ETAL 1,993,473

MKNITTING' MACHINE I Filed April 22, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 WVENTORS SWNEY ARTHUR WELSH ALBERT FMRHOLME GUYLER JOHN Tums ASHBY MLLMH HENRY 30m n? Arm we Y6 April 23, 1935. s. A.-WELCH Er AL 1,998,473

v KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 22. 19,50 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 \NVENTORS SIDNEY ARTHUR, WELSH ALBERT FA\R\\0U1E GUYLER JOHN THonAS ASuBY W\\ L\AM HENRY BOALER 3 W M ATTORNEYS April 23, 1935, s. A. WELCH El Au 1,998,473

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 KNITTING MACHINE Sidney Arthur Welch, Albert Fairholme Guyler,

John Thomas Ashby,

and William Henry Boaler, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignors to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application April 22, 1930, Serial No. 446,276 In Great Britain May 16, 1929 27 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly circular knitting machines, the principal object of the invention be: ing the production of warp-knitted fabrics in which, as in Milanese fabric, for example, each warp thread progresses successively from Wale to wale across the fabric. A further object of the invention is to produce on circular knitting machines knitted fabrics containing weft thread in addition to, warp threads.

In its broadest aspect, a circular knitting mamachine according to the invention comprises a needle cylinder, thread guides for feeding a series of warp threads to the needles, means ijor causing the thread guides to lap the threads over any desired number of needles, and a knittingcam cylinder rotating round the needle cylinder to knit on each needle in turn a single thread of the warp series. Since in each revolution of the knitting cam round the needle cylinder the thread guides have moved over a predetermined number of needles either in the same-direction as the movement of the knitting cam or in the opposite direction thereto, while the knitting cam requires to meet and knit in such revolution a number of warp threads equalto the number of needles in the cylinder, the number of thread guides is greater or less than the number of needles according to the direction of the said lapping of the threads. The difference between thenumber of guides and the number of needles is the same as the number of needles over which the guides lap between successive knitting positions. Where there are two or more knitting positions round the needle cylinder, the number of guides exceeds the number of needles by the number of needles lapped by any one thread between all the knitting positions.

It is to be understood that the term "lap refers to the passing of a thread laterally over one or more needles, the thread being-subsequently knitted on the needle over which it was last lapped.

One set of warp thread guides may be used-to produce fabric on the machine, but the best results are obtained by using two sets of guides, one lapping its threads in one direction over the needles and the other in the other direction. From the explanation given above, one set of guides will be greater in number than the number of needles and the other less, the difierences depending on the extent of lapping, but not necessarily being'equal with regard to both sets of guides.

Knitting may take place at more than one lapping, knitting takes place while the guides point round the needle cylinder by using two or more sets of knitting cams and arranging the number of guides and their lappin movements so that the required lapping takes place between each knitting point.

The above-mentioned particulars as to the relative numbers of guides and needles have special reference to the knitting of fabrics in which each needle is supplied with a warp thread from each series. It is possible, however, in any set of guides to use a less number than there are needles, and toknit such less number of threads into the fabric on selected needles only. Thus, for example, one set of warp threads may be knitted on to every needlewhile a second set may be knitted on to every third needle, each thread passing the two intermediate needles. In this case, the second set of guides will number only one third of the number of needles between each knitting position, plus or minus one guide to achieve the lapping over three needles between successive knitting positions. The needles are actuated by suitable cams to receive and knit the required threads only. The numbers of guides necessary to obtain any other required selection may be similarly determined.

A weft thread or threads may be readily introduced at any knitting position to add to the range of efiects obtainable on the machine, it be- 1 ing" convenient to mount the weft thread supply 30 on the rotatable cam cylinder and direct the thread to the needles by suitable guides.

The relative rotary movement between the thread guides and the needles may be continuous or intermittent. In the former case, the needle cylinder may remain stationary while the or each set of guides moves round the cylinder to effeet the lapping, or the cylinder may rotate with respect to one set of guides, the other guides, if any, also moving relatively to the moving cylinder. In the latter case it is desirable to maintain the cylinder stationary and to move the guides is not completed until just before the needle round which the thread has been passed comes into knitting position. In the case of intermittent which have lapped the loops to be knitted are stationary, and lapping takes place between knitting positions by the movement of the guide sections.

The knitting machine according to the invention enables fabrics of the Milanese type to be produced at speeds such as are commonly employed in circular knitting machines,. the lapping of the threads to give a progression from .wale to wale across the fabric proceeding constantly in advance of the knitting operation which is then performed continuously on all the needles in turn.

The fabrics produced may be identical in character with the usual Milanese fabrics produced on fiat machines, but, since threads having different characteristics may be used in the two sets of warp threads employed, a wider range of effects is possible. Further, this range may be increased by the use of weft thread,'which again may have different characteristics from the warp threads.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that the following description is given by way of example only and is in no Way limitative.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of one form of machine according to the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are a plan and sectional elevation respectively of a second form of machine of which Figs. 2a and 2b show details;

Fig. 4 is a development diagram showing the operation of the needles and a single set of guides.

Fig. 5 is a part sectional elevation of a third form of machine;

Fig. 5a is a detail View of the machine shown in Fig. 5;

Figs. 6 and 7 show diagrammatically various forms of fabric which may be produced on the machine according to the invention, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are views which enable the circular structure of the fabric to be visualized.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, a stationary needle cylinder 2| is provided with needls 22 which are actuated by knitting cams'23 carried by acam cylinder 24 which rotates round thecylinder 2|. The needles-22 are of the bearded type and, operate in connection with sinkers as usually employed with this class of needle. The sinkers |4I are'carried upon a plate I42 secured to the needle cylinder and are operated by means of sinker cams I43 connected with the knitting cams 23 by means of a connecting piece I44 and rotating with the knitting cams. Presser jacks I45 are also provided in the vertical tricks of the needle cylinder 2|, the jacks I45 being maintained in positionby means of a spring I46 which passes completely round the needle cylinder 2 I. Several sets of knitting cams 23 may be provided round the cylinder 24 according to the size of the cylinder and class of fabric to be produced.

' Located above the level of the tops of the needles is an annular cam ring 25 whose internal diameter is somewhat greater than the diameter of the needle cyl nder. The ring 25 is driven at the same speed as the cam cylinder 24, being provided with an external gear 26 that meshes with a pinion 21 on a shaft 21 driven from the main shaft 28 of the machine. On the upper and lower sides respectively of the ring 25 are two annular guide rings 29, 30 each provided with radial tricks to receive inwardly projecting thread guides 3|, 32, there being cams 33 on the sides of the ring 25 for the operation of the guides as will be described hereafter.

A short spindle 35 is journalled at right angles to the plane of the cam ring 25 at a point near the periphery of the ring, and a pinion 36 at one end of the spindle meshes with an annular gear 31 fixed to the machine frame, and also with teeth 38 formed round the periphery of the upper guide ring. There are more teeth in the ring 38 than in the gear 31, the ratio between the numbers of teeth being equal to the ratiobetween the numbers of guides 3| and. the number of-needles 22. Thereis some slackness between the pinion 36 and the two annular gears 31, 38, in order that the pinion 36 may effectively engage with both gears despite the difference in the number of teeth in the two gears. It will be seen that the members 36, 31, 38 constitute a differential gear which drives the upper guide ring 29 slowly round the needle cylinder in the direction in which the cam cylinder is rotating round the needles. This movement of the guide ring 29 causes the guides 3| to advance over a predeterminednumber'of needles between each knitting operation performed on the needles, the extent of the advance in each revolution of the knitting cam being equal to the difference between the number of guides and the number of needles.

At thelower end of the spindle 35, a second pinion 39 is provided meshing with teeth 40 cut round the periphery of the lower guide ring 30, the number of teeth in this guide ring being less than the number of teeth in the fixed gear 31, this arrangement constitutinga further differential gear to cause the guide ring 30 to proceed backwards round the needle cylinder-by an amount equal to the lapping which the guides 32 are required to perform between successive knitting operations. By means of the arrangement just described the thread guides 3| are caused to lap continuously in one direction over the needles 22, i. e. in the same direction as the knitting and guide cams, and the other guides 32 move continuously in the opposite direction. Any other suitable form of difi'erential gear may be employed.

Though the thread guides have been describe as being driven from asingle spindle 35 journalled in the cam 'ring 25, further spindles with pinions meshing with the gears 31, 38, 40 may be provided round the periphery of the cam ring 'the' fingers 32a so that threads are delivered to the needles at the same level from each set of guides. The fingers 3 Ia, 32a are able to lead their respective threads between the needles after lapping has been effected, and the horizontal parts of the guides pass clearly overthe heads of the needles while the guides occupy their innermost position. .The threads 42, 42' for thetwo sets of "guides respectively are supplied from yarn packages 43 supported by and travelling with the guide rings. For the supply of the thread 42, an upstanding framework 44 is mounted onthe upper guide ring 29 and carries a series of pegs 45 ,to receive bobbins, there being preferably one bobbin foreach thread guide. If desired, however, small thread beams may be used each containing suflicient threads to supply several guides. A similar framework 46 depends from the lower guide ring 30 and carries pegs 41 for supporting the bobbins for the supply of thread 42' to the lower guides 32.

Thread is drawn from the bobbins by the action of the needles during knitting, passing from the bobbins over rods 48 to a tension device comprising an inflatable tube 49. The threads pass over a flexible pad 50 supported by the tube 43, and a ring is'caused to press on the threads so as to apply a uniform tension to all the threads. This tension maybe adjusted by varying the pressure of the ring 5| on the tube 49 or by varying the pressure of the tube.

The lower set of threads 42' is caused to pass upwardly to an'annular ring 52 located above the needle level and then over the ring and down to the guides 32. The upper set of threads proceeds directly to the guides 3|.

By carrying the threads 42' over the ring 52, they are caused to move in substantially vertical paths down to the needles, this arrangement ensuring that practically no slackening or undue tensioning of either setof threads occurs during the passage of the guides horizontally through the needles. It is also preferable to provide two guide holes 4! in each thread guide, it being found that this arrangement assists in avoiding slackening of the threads.

The cams 33 are arranged to move the thread guides 38, 32 inwardly through the needles after lapping of the threads 42, 42. has been effected by the lapping movement of the rings 29, 30 round the needles. The threads are thus brought into position to be knitted by the operationof the knitting cams 23. After the needles have seized the loops of warp thread the guides 3|, 32 are withdrawn through or over' the needles by the cams 33 and continue lapping the threads to form the next loops to be knitted. The cams 33 employed in Fig. 1 are similar to those shown in 2 and their operation will be described in greater detail hereafter with reference to Fig. 4.

It will be understood that although the number of guides in each of the two series differs from the number of needles in the cylinder, there being more guidesthan needles in one set and less guides than needles in the other, that is there are more warp threads progressing round the cylinder in one direction and less in the other,

,, the other. This is due to the fact that the movement of the guides round the needle cylinder means causes the knitting cam as well as the guide cams to meet the lesser number of guides, but require .to overtake the greater number of guides. Thus, just as the knitting cam actuates all the needles in the cylinder during each revolution it performs round the cylinder, so also do the guide cams actuate as many guides as there are needles during each revolution they make round the cylinder.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the thread guides 3|, 32 are mounted in a similar manner to those shown in Fig. 1, but are evenly spaced with the needles, and are contained in a plurality of segmental guide sections 55, 56 which together do not occupy a full circle round the cylinder, there being a small amount of space through which the sections may be caused to move, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. This space enables the sections to be moved in the case of one set of guides forwardly with respect to the direction of knitting, and in the case of the other setof guides backwardly. As in Fig. 1, there are more guides 3| and less guides 32 than there are needles, the guides 3| being movable in the same direction as the knitting cam cylinder and the guides 32 in the opposite direction. The guides are actuated by cams 33, Fig. showing the lower set; which contains less guides than there are needles. The guide sections shown in Fig. 2, however, are those belonging to the upper set of guides, which are left out of the figure for the sake of clearness. In the case of the upper set,

provision has to be made for extra guides to be mounted in the sections 55, 56 to provide for the lapping movement of the guides. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 2a. The extra guides 31a, 31b are mounted in the end tricks of the sections and arranged to spring away from the adjacent guides 3lc of the same sections when the guide sections have moved apart as shown with regard to the guide 3la. When thesections are closed together however, the guides are capable of being sprung inwards and pressed close to the adjacent guide Me by the end guides of the adjacent section of this arrangement as shown with respect to the guides 3lb. This arrangement provides for a spacing of the guides equal to the needle spacing over the gaps between the sections, notwithstanding the necessity; for a numberof guides in excess 'of the number of needles. Accurate lapping of the threads-is thereby achieved, and the guide fingers are always able to pass through the needles to complete the lapping without danger of' the guides fouling the needles.

The sections55,56 are progressed round the needle cylinder as follows:

An annular ring 51 having teeth on its inner edge is provided in connection with each set of guide sections, each ring being secured to the machine frame. Joumalled in a bracket or arm 59 projecting from each guide section is a short spindle in having at one end a pinion 61 meshing with one of the annular gears above referred to, and at its other end a star wheel or pinion 82 which projects into the path of a pin or pins 63 carried by the rotating cam ring. Thus, as a pin 63 carried by the cam ring strikes the star wheel 62 it causes the pinion 6| carried on the star wheel spindle 60 to rotate, and be driven a small amount round the annular gear- 51 with which it meshes, carrying with it the corresponding guide section 55 or 56, which is thus moved angularlyround-the cam ring over the space of any desired number of needles. The guide sections are thus caused to move intermittently relatively in the other direction, so obtaining the required lapping of the threads over the needles in both directions. The number of pins 63 carried by the cam ring 26 in connection with each set of thread guides depends on the number of knitting positions round the needle cylinder, it being necessary, of course, to advance the guide sections by the amount corresponding to the lap desired be- The other set of guides moves over the needles as previously described to produce the lapping of its threads. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 5, as will be described later.

It has been stated with reference to Figs. 1-3 that the cams 33 operate to pass the guide fingers 3 la, 32a through the needles after the completion of the lapping. It will be understood that in the arrangement described in Fig. 1, where the guides progress at a uniform rate round the needles, the guides can only pass between the needles at such points round the needle circle where they are in mesh with the needles. Thus, where there is oneguide more or less than the number of needles and the guides progress at a uniform rate round the needles, this meshing will only take place at one point in the needle circle. In the case of a machine employing fine gauge needles, there is the danger of the guides or threads fouling the needles during the passing of the guides between the needles. Similar difiiculties may also arise in the case of small diameter machines. Even in the arrangement shown in Figure '2, where the guideshave equal spacing with the needles, and are stationary when they are required to pass through the needles, such fouling may occur. In order to overcome this difficulty,

it is preferred to adopt an arrangement of knitting needles so that a Wide spacing is left between the heads of the short butted needles. The guides 3! are provided either with long or short butts alternately, or with butts for engaging two different cam tracks 33, and at the'time the long butted needles have been lowered, the guides corresponding to the remaining short butted needles areadvanced by the cams 33 to pass their threads, which have already been lapped over the desired number of needles by the movement of the guides round the needle circle, between these needles. The short butted needles are then lowered by-a cam 61, and the long butted needles are raised by a cam 68 the remaining guides being passed between the upstanding long butted needles to efiect the lapping of the remaining threads. It is possible to return the guide fingers to the outside of the needle circle over the tops of the needles, while the knitting operation is taking place, but it is preferred to adopt a similar procedure for retracting the guides to that. used to advance them in completing the lapping, and for this purpose additional needle cams 66, 61, 68' are used, this second operation of the needles and guides being clearly shown to the right of the cams 23 in Figure 4. Wider spacing for the passage of the guide betweenthe needles may be effected by the use of suitable butts and cams for the' selection of the needles and guides.

One or more sets of knitting cams 23 may be provided in the cam cylinder 24 it being understood that where more than one set of cams is employed, the requisite lapping between consecutive knitting positions is obtained by suitable formation of the thread guide cams and by suitably choosing the numbers of teeth on the thread guide rings in relation to the number of teeth on the fixed ring from which the thread guide rings derive their lapping motion. Fig. 2b shows the arrangement of two sets of needle cams 23', 23" togethenwith two sets of thread guide cams 33' and 33", these being the cams employed for one half of the machine as shown in Fig. 2. A plurality of sets of cams of the same nature as those shown in Fig. 2b is also employed in connection with the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figure 5, one guide ring II carrying guides 12 is held stationary, being attached to the machine frame I3. The needle cylinder 14 rotates at a rate determined by the lapping to be eflfected by the guides I2 over the needles and the other guide ring I5, carrying guides I8, rotates at a faster rate than the cylinder. The actual rates of revolution of the cylinder I4 and the ring I5 to effect the lapping will be determined by the differences between the number of needles and the number of guides in the two rings, as in the case in the forms of machine previously described. The cylinder I4 is driven from the shaft 11 by a gear train I8, I9,

89, 89', the member 89' carrying rods 89" adapted to support a fabric take up device (not shown) of the usual type. The guide ring I5 is driven by a gear train 82 85. The sets of guides I2, I6 are pivoted in annular grooves 86, 81 in the rings II, I5, respectively, their movement being controlled by cams 88 9| carried by a cam ring 92 which is driven from the shaft 11 by a pinion 8 I. The needles 93 are actuated by a cam cylinder 94 driven by a pinion 95, the cams being of any desired form, either to effect similar actuation of all the needles or a selective actuation such as is illustrated in Figure 4. The needles shown in the figure are of the latch type and are provided with butts in two positions on their stems for actuation by two sets of cams to effect a wide spacing of the needles during passage of the guides, the knitting, however, being effected by a single set of cams only. The thread guides I2, I8 may be operated in the manner shown in Figure 4 by a suitable arrangement of butts and cams, short and long butts 96, 91 being shown for this purpose. The short and wide butts.98 are engaged by the outer cams 88, 89, and the long butts 91 are narrow, so as to pass through the wide cam slots for the butts 9,9 in the cams 88, 89, and are engaged by the inner cams 99, 9|.

The threads 98, 99 for the two sets of guides I2, 16 are fed from small warp beams I99, IN,

of which the beams I99 are stationary, while the beams I 9| are mounted for rotation with the guides IS. The threads are fed from the'beams to the guides by means of rubber rollers I92, I 93, and steel rollers I 94, I95 respectively. The steel rollers are adjustably mounted and may be caused to make different pressure with the rubber rollers so as to control the rate of the thread fed'to the needles. The roller I92 is driven by,

a gear train I 96' from a worm I 96 on the shaft 11 and the roller I93 is driven from an annular gear I91 on the cam ring 92 through a pinion 291, worm gear 299, 299, and chain gearing -2I9.

It is of course necessary to provide a number of the same rate as the cam cylinder. The weft thread I08 is fed from a bobbin I09 carried on aguide 1 I2. A guard us is provided to limit bal-' looning of the thread as it proceeds from the bobbin. In any of the machines described above any suitable patterning means may be provided to modify the appearance of 'the fabric, for example, in the case of spring bearded needles, a cut presser wheel or other means for selectively pressing the spring beards may be employed. Further, pattern wheels, pattern chains, jacquard mechanism, or other means may be used to select the needles or to effect tucking or plating to produce any desired pattern.

Figs. 6 and 7 show two types of fabric which may be produced on the machine. In knitting the fabric shown in Fig. 6, every third needle is fed with weft thread I2I, while half of the remaining needles are fed with warp thread I22 and the other half with warp thread I23. Each of the threads laps over three needles between each knitting position, the needles being suitably selected to take required thread only.

For feeding the warp threads to the needles, the guides in each set number only of the number of needles, plus and minus one guide in the two sets respectively to effect the lapping. The guides are, of course, evenly spaced round the needle circle.

The threads I22, I23 progress from left to right and from right to left respectively across the fabric, ascending from course to course, while the weft thread follows each course. Every third needle contains one only of the three series of threads used in the fabric, and these three series of threads may be difierent in colour, composition, or character, every third Wale of the fabric may appear as a distinct stripe in the fabric.

In Fig. 7, the structure of a fabric employing two series of warp threads together with weft thread is shown. Each warp thread laps over two needles, there being a warp thread to each needle. The weft thread I24 forms a ground, as shown in the area I21, and the warp threads I25, I26 of the two series are superposed on this ground, as shown in the areas I23, I29. The area I30 shows how all three types of thread combine to give three thread loops on each needle.

Figs. 6 and 7 do not, of course, show the tubular structure of the fabric,.and this can best be visualized in the manner shown in Figs. 8 and 9. These give distorted views of the fabric, obtained by looking downwards on to the tube of fabric as it is produced on the machine and imagining the lower part of the tube increasing gradually in size and at the same time rising up to the level of the uppermost edge, which consists of the stitches last knitted. The fabric now appears as a perforated disc, the last series of stitches knitted surrounding a hole in the centre of the disc.

Fig. 8 shows such a view in the case of a fabric containing two sets of warp threads, each thread of which is, lapped over one needle only in every revolution of a single knitting cam round the needle cylinder. The stitches which appear in the actual fabric to constitute a single helical course appear as a spiral of constantly increasing radius, the stitches of each wale allfalling on a radial line extending from the centre of the spiral. Each thread I3I of the set whichis less in number than the number of wales passes from its loop I32 in the turn of the spiral last knitted to a loop in the preceding turn in a direction opposite to that'in which stitch spiral is increasing, i. e., each of this set appears as a spiral increasing in a direction contrary to the stitch spiral.

Each of the other set of threads I33 passes from its loop in the turn of the spiral last knitted to a loop in the preceding turn in the same direction as that in which the stitch spiral is increasing, and each such thread appears as a spiral increasing in the same direction as the stitch spiral but mQre rapidly.

A similar fabric is shown in Fig. 9, but in this case two knitting positions have been used round the needle circle so that each of the two helical stitch courses in the actual fabric is represented by a spiral, one starting from each knitting position. The warp threads again appear as spirals, similar to those in Fig. 8.

In both of the views, weft threads I36 appear along the stitch spirals. The two sets of warp threads and the weft threads are represented in the same way as corresponding threads in Figs. 6 and 7. A few wales of knitted fabric are shown in Fig. 8.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising a circularly disposed endless series of needles, a series of thread guides adapted to feed the warp threads to said needles, means for traversing said guides always in the same direction round the needle circle so as to lap the threads over'the needles, and cam means adapted to move said guides between the needles after lapping of the threads over the needles so as to bring the threads successively into posi-' tion to be knitted on said needles. 7

2. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising an endless series of needles, a series of thread guides differing in number from the number of needles and adapted to feed warp threads to the needles, means for traversing said guides always in, the same direction with respect to said needles was to lap the threads over the needles, and cam 'means adapted to move the guides between the needles as the traversing movement brings them into register with the needles so that the threads are brought successively into position to be knitted on said needles.

3. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprisinga circularly disposed series of needles, two circularly disposed series of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, one series of guides being greater in number than the number of needles and the other series less in number than the number of needles, and means for traversing the two series of guides in opposite directions round the needle circle to present the warp threads successively to the needles, the guide seriesbeing traversed in their respective directions at rates proportional to the differences between the number of needles and the respective number of guides so' that each needle is fed in turn with a thread to be knitted by one guide of each series.

4. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising an endless series of independently movable needles, a series of thread guides adapted to feed warp threads to said,

guides always in the same direction with respect to said needles so as to lap the threads over the needles between successive knitting operations) on such needles, and cam means operative in synchronism with said needle cam means and adapted to move said guides between the needles after lapping of the threads over the needles.

5. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising a series of needles, a series of thread guides adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively, means for traversingsaid guides with respect to said needles so as to lap the threads over the needles between successive knitting operations on such needles, and cam means operative in synchronism with said needle cam means and adapted to move said guides between the needles after lapping oi the threads over the needles, the said needle cam means being adapted to retract needles at spaced intervals to form gaps in the needles 'cylinder, cam means arranged to operate said needles successively, means for traversing said guides at a uniform rate always in the same direction with respect to said needles 'so as to lap the threads over the needles between successive knitting operations on such needles, and

cam means operative in synchronism with said needle cam means and adapted to move said guides between the needles after lapping of the threads over the needles.

7. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising a needle cylinder, a series of thread guides adapted to feed warp threads to the needles of said cylinder, cam' means adapted traversing said guides at a uniform rate with respect to said needles so as to lap the threads over the needles between successive knitting operations on such needles, and cam means operative in synchronism with said needle cam means and adapted to move said. guides between the needles after lapping of the threads over the needles, the said needle cam means being adapted to retract needles at spaced intervals to form gaps in the needle series,and said guide means being adapted to advance guides at corresponding spaced intervals so that said guides. pass through said gaps.

8. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a needle cylinder, 8. series of needles, sections of thread guides adapted to feed warp threads to the needles of said cylinder, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively, and means for traversing the guides by sections with respect to said needles so as to lap the threads over the needles between successive knitting operations on such needles.

9. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising an endless series of independently movable needles, two series of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, cam means arranged to operate said needles successively, and means for traversing the two sets of guides in opposite directions with respect to the needles so as to lap the threads in opposite directions over the'needles between dles successively, means for traversing the two sets of guides in opposite directions with respect to the needles so as to lap the threads in opposite directions over the needles between successive knitting operations on such needles, and cam means operative in synchronism with said needle cam means and adapted to move said guides between the needles after lapping oi the threads over the needles.

11. Machine for knitting tubular warp knitted fabric, comprising a series of needles, two series of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively, means for traversing the two sets of guides in opposite directions with respect to the needles so as to lap the threads in opposite directions over the needles between successive knitting operations on such needles, and cam means operative in synchronism with said needle cammeans and adapted to move said guides between the needles after lapping of the threads over the needles, the said needle cam means being adapted to retract needles at spaced intervals to form gaps in the needle series, and said guide means being adapted to advance guides at corresponding spaced intervals so that said guides pass through said gaps.

-12. Machine for knitting tubular warp'knitted fabric, comprising a series of needles, a'series of thread guides greater in number than the number of needles and adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively to knit the warp threads on the needles, and means for traversing said guides with respect to said needles in the direction of knitting at a rate whose ratio to the rate of knitting equals the ratio of the differencebetween the numbers of guides and needles to the number of needles, so that each needle is fed by one guide of the series at each knitting operation or such needle.

a 13. Machine according to claim 12 comprising means adapted to supply a weit thread to said needles. u

14. Machine according to claim 12 comprising means adapted to traverse the guides continuously with respect to the needles.

15. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a series of needles, 9. series of thread guides less in number than the number or needles and adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively to knit the warp threads on the needles, and means for traversing said guides with respect to said needles in a direction opposite to that of knitting at a rate whose ratio to the rate of knitting equals the ratio of the diflerence between the numbers of guides and needles to the number of needles, so that each of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads tosaid needles, one series of guides being greater in number than the number of needles and the other series less in number.

than the number of needles, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively to. knit the warp threads on the needles, and means for traversing, the two series of guides with respect to the needles, the greater number of guides being traversed in the same direction as that of knitting, and the lesser number of guides in a direction opposite to that of knitting, each at a rate whose ratio to the rate of knitting equals theratio of the difference between such number of guides andthe number of needles to the number of needles, so that each ,needle is fed by one guide of each series at each knitting operation of such needle.

19. Machine according to claim 18 comprising.

by sections with respect to the needles. s

21. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a needle cylinder, two series of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads tosaid needles, one series of guides beinggreater in number than the number of needles and the other series less in number than the number of needles,cammeansadaptedtooperate said needles,

means adapted to rotate the needle cylinder with respect to one set of guides and means adapted to rotate the other set of guides in the same direction as and with respect to the needle cylinder, whereby the two sets of guides are traversed with respect to the needles, the greater number of guides being traversed in the same direction as that of knitting, and the lesser number of guides in a direction opposite to that of knitting, each at a rate whose ratio to the rate of knitting equals the ratio of the difference between such number of guides and the number of needles to the number of needles, so that each needle is fed by. one guide of each series at each knitting operation of such needle. h

22. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a needle cylinder, an endless series of needles mounted insaid cylinder, a series of thread guides greater in number than the number of needles and adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, a plurality of cam means I tween such number of guides and the number of needles to the number of needles so thateach needle is fed by a guide at each knitting operation of such needle.

23. Machine according to claim 22 comprising.

cam means to supply a weft thread to the needles.

24. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a needle cylinder, an endless seriesmf needles mounted in said cylinder, a series of thread guides less in number than the number of needles and adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, a plurality of cam meansspaced round the cylinder, each cam means being adapted to operate said needles successively and means for traversing said guides always in the opposite direction from said cam means with respect to the needles at a rate whose ratio tQ'the rate of knitting equals the ratio of the difierence between such number of guides and the number of needles to the number of needles so that each needle is fed by a guide at each knitting operation of such needle.

25. Machine according to claim 24 comprising meansin'connection with at least one of the cam means to supply a weft thread to the needles.

26. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a series of needles, two series of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads to said needles, one series of guides being greater in number than the number of needles and the other series less in number than the number oi needles, 2. pluralityof cam means spaced round the cylinder; each cam means being adapted to operate said needles successively to knit the warp threads on theneedles, and means for travmeans in connection with at'least one of the' ersing the two series of guides with respect to the Y needles, the greater number of guides being traversed in the same direction as that ofknitting, and the lesser number of guides in a direction 'opposite to that of knitting, each at a rate whose ratio to the rate of knitting equals the ratio of the diflerence between such number of guides and the number of needles to the number of needles, so that each needle is fed by one guide of each series at each knitting operation of such needle.

27. Machine for knitting tubular warp-knitted fabric, comprising a series of needles, two series of thread guides each adapted to feed warp threads to selected needles, one series ofguides being greater in number than the number of needles fed thereby and the other series less in number than the number of needles fed thereby, cam means adapted to operate said needles successively, and means for traversing the two series of guides with respect to the needles, the first set of guides being traversed in the same direction as that of knitting, and the second set in a direction opposite to that of knitting, each at a rate whose ratio to the rate of knitting equals the ratio of the diiference between such number of guides and the number of selected needles fed thereby to such number of needles,- so that each of such number of selected needles is fed by one guide of the series at each knitting operation of such needle.

SIDNEY ARTHUR WELCH. ALBERT FAIRHOLME GUYLER. JOHN THOMAS ASHBY. WILLIAM HENRY BOALER. 

